Lyons Elementary principal finds strong community

St. Vrain flood, relocated school mark Andrew Moore's first year

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Times-Call's series Take Two revisits people we have written about in the past year. Take Two stories run on Mondays.

Andrew Moore didn't hesitate to apply for the job of principal at Lyons Elementary School when it opened up last year.

"I was looking for a small, community school to move my family to," the 37-year-old Moore said Tuesday. "We always loved Lyons."

The former principal of Flagstaff Academy, a charter school in southwest Longmont started his new job in July. Classes started on Aug. 15.

Less than one month later, early in the morning of Sept. 12, the St. Vrain River roared through the small town, destroying houses, roads and even the town's water, wastewater and electrical systems. Moore, his teachers and his students wouldn't return to their classrooms until Dec. 2.

St. Vrain Valley School District officials announced early on Sept. 12 that all schools would be closed because of the flooding, which affected Lyons, Hygiene, Longmont and the Carbon Valley. But even that morning, Moore didn't know the extent of the damage, he said.

From his Lafayette home, Moore became the communications hub for families, teachers and staff members as they all tried to make sure everyone was safe.

"I did nothing extraordinary ... except keep communication moving," Moore said. It wasn't until Saturday that he heard from the last unaccounted-for person, who lived in Glen Haven.

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As early as Sept. 13, district officials, including Moore, began discussing moving students from the Lyons schools to Main Street School in Longmont, he said. Although the Lyons schools weren't damaged, the damage to the town's infrastructure prevented them from opening.

"It was really apparent the priority was to keep the families together — which was the smartest thing they did," Moore said.

Lyons Elementary School principal Andrew Moore talks to student Jeremiah Cronin at recess on Wednesday. Moore took over as principal of last fall, weeks before the St. Vrain River flooded and destroyed much of the town. (Cliff Grassmick / For the Times-Call)

The district phased in the resumption of classes at the Main Street School, with high school students starting on Sept. 23, middle school students on Sept. 24 and elementary students on Sept. 25, nine days after the flood.

Right away, the school returned to its routines, even though students were using borrowed textbooks and donated supplies.

"Their ability to seek comfort in one another was the best medicine," Moore said.

The teachers and their relationships with the children held the community together, he said. Even though 65 percent of staff members had been displaced from their homes, they stayed focused on the kids.

Students have been back at Lyons Elementary School for more than three months now; the older ones have been taking their Transitional Colorado Assessment Program exams.

But life in Lyons isn't back to normal. Many of Moore's students haven't returned to their homes, he said.

"The tragedy is not over," Moore said. "This town is far from rebuilt, but it's operable and thriving."

As it continues to rebuild, Moore will be there.

This summer, he and his family plan to move to a house they are building in Lyons Valley Park. A girl they are expecting any day will think of Lyons as her hometown. His 6- and 3-year-old boys will attend Lyons Elementary next year.

When Moore took the job in Lyons, he was looking for a community. This year, he learned what kind of community Lyons is.

"I knew the community was strong, but I had no idea how strong," he said.